How Does Tado X Work?

wigster

Hello,

I plan to replace our Evohome system so bought some Tado X TRVs to test, via an Apple TV. I'm curious about how the TRVs actually use the Apple TV.

I also have a couple of Eve Plugs. I added these to Apple Home, and they are visible in Apple Home. Tado X is different. I added the TRVs to the Tado app, and they work. The TRVs are obviously using the Apple TV (it's my only Thread Border Router) but the TRVs were never 'added' to the Apple TV.

How does this work?

I noticed in Apple Home that if I click 'Add Accessory', then 'More options' a TRV is actually visible so the Apple TV is obviously aware of it, but it's not part of the fabric.

I'm sure I asked ChatGPT wrong questions but it reckons a Thread mesh network will just work without devices being added to a fabric but wouldn't this mean a TBR is then effectively just an unrestricted, open proxy to the internet? This seems unlikely too.

On a related note, the Eve Plugs are Thread routers. Can/would a Tado X TRV use these routers even though the TRV was not added to the Apple TV's fabric?

Apologies for mangling the terminology, and thanks!

cardella

I'm not familiar with the Apple ecosystem, but my understanding is that the Apple devices are the only supported 3rd party devices that can be used as TBR in the Tado Thread network. So the Eve plugs are not compatible with Tado.

My guess is that you have two different Matter fabrics, one for the Eve plugs (and possibly anything non-Tado device you might add) and one for the Tado TRVs. Somehow the Apple TV is able to handle both.

wigster

Hi,

Thanks indeed!

>My guess is that you have two different Matter fabrics

That's my guess too but I'm curious how the Tado's fabric was created without 'permission' from the Apple TV. I'm not complaining, it worked and the process was easy, which is great. It seems to mean though that any Thread device could start using an Apple TV (or whatever other TBR) to get out to the internet, without the user being aware. This is how ChatGPT said Thread works but it seems unlikely, hence my confusion.

Perhaps the Tado app got credentials from my iPad's keychain but the app works on Android too.

> Apple devices are the only supported 3rd party devices that can be used as TBR in the Tado Thread network. So the Eve plugs are not compatible with Tado.

I wondered if the Eve plugs would be used by the Tado TRVs as routers to extend range (not border routers), even though the TRVs do not participate in the same fabric. I don't see a way to edit my original post, sorry for any confusion. ChatGPT said 'yes' but I struggled to ask reasonable questions.

Cheers!

wigster

Hello,

I figured this out with some great help from Tado, and the Thread Subreddit.

Maybe this is of interest for anyone beginning with Thread. Or it's another embarrassing reason why I should never post to the internet…

I was confused about how the Apple TV didn't seem to 'prompt' for any sort of permission. But I misread the Tado instructions to mean any Thread border router on the same network can be used. This is not correct.

Adding a Tado X TRV to an app requires the device running the Tado app already to be able to 'manage' the Thread border router. My iPad already had permission as it was the device that initially configured the Apple TV, making it part of Apple Home.

Thread commissioning then took place as normal.

Another red herring was the Tado app being compatible with both Android and iOS. Adding devices isn't, so at no point is there an open gateway.

Thanks!